Supersonic Sid Posted March 28, 2014 #1 Share Posted March 28, 2014 (edited) I was just wondering, we (wife and I) are booking a back to back next January. Do you get a new seapass card or just have one for the entire cruise. If you get a new card for the second cruise, is this automatic or do you have to book in at arrivals again? Thanks in advance. Edited March 28, 2014 by Supersonic Sid Added thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folk Singer Posted March 28, 2014 #2 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I was just wondering, we (wife and I) are booking a back to back next January. Do you get a new seapass card or just have one for the entire cruise. If you get a new card for the second cruise, is this automatic or do you have to book in at arrivals again?Thanks in advance. You do get a new sea pass. Just go down to guest services and they will issue you a new one. You can stay on the ship to do this.:):) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Booper Posted March 28, 2014 #3 Share Posted March 28, 2014 (edited) I was just wondering, we (wife and I) are booking a back to back next January. Do you get a new seapass card or just have one for the entire cruise. If you get a new card for the second cruise, is this automatic or do you have to book in at arrivals again?Thanks in advance. You get a new seapass card. Each week is a separate cruise with a different folio number. They give it to you before you get off the ship to zero out the counter and then use it to get back on the ship. Each ship and port has different procedures. You will get a letter to continuing cruisers (their way of saying b2b) laying out the procedures, not to worry. Edited March 28, 2014 by The Big Booper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare NorbertsNiece Posted March 28, 2014 #4 Share Posted March 28, 2014 On Adventure the new Sea Pass was in the room on the last evening. There will be a meeting on board when all their specific procedures will be explained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEEDIA Posted March 28, 2014 #5 Share Posted March 28, 2014 On the Splendour they gave us our new Sea Pass when we disembarked at Venice. One piece of advice do not hand you 1st week card in, keep it. So you can open your safe, we slipped up and handed them back, had to contact Maintenance to open the safe. One more, remember to use your allowances because they will not carry over, that card is closed. Enjoy your B/B we loved ours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisenfever Posted March 28, 2014 #6 Share Posted March 28, 2014 On the Splendour they gave us our new Sea Pass when we disembarked at Venice. One piece of advice do not hand you 1st week card in, keep it. So you can open your safe, we slipped up and handed them back, had to contact Maintenance to open the safe. One more, remember to use your allowances because they will not carry over, that card is closed. Enjoy your B/B we loved ours. We only do b2b cruises and have never had to hand in our SeaPass Card from the previous cruise after dinging out. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seacruise Posted March 28, 2014 #7 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I have done many B2B cruises and learned a lot on this on RCI. This a very sore point with me and RCI. I hate to say it but HAL and Princess make it seamless. The back end of their product is horrible for customer service but the front end is much better. If you buy a wine package the first cruise and want to carry it over to the second week you have to "pre-select" what is left of your wine and your name is put on it for the second cruise. (They say it has to do with inventory) I have not had a problem selecting a different bottle from the bottles I selected the prior week. I have had to return extension chords by 7:00 AM that I borrowed on the day of arrival or be charged for it. I have even talked to the Hotel Manager and this is the policy. You then have to go back and resign it out after 10AM. Do not link your B2B cruises before you sail. This will lock your TA out of your reservation as soon as that happens. They will have to call RCI to make changes. Oh yes RCI won't go out of their way to give you the same cabin both weeks. That is left up to you to check and then call. Hope this helps, Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisenfever Posted March 28, 2014 #8 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I have done many B2B cruises and learned a lot on this on RCI. This a very sore point with me and RCI. I hate to say it but HAL and Princess make it seamless. The back end of their product is horrible for customer service but the front end is much better. If you buy a wine package the first cruise and want to carry it over to the second week you have to "pre-select" what is left of your wine and your name is put on it for the second cruise. (They say it has to do with inventory) I have not had a problem selecting a different bottle from the bottles I selected the prior week. I have had to return extension chords by 7:00 AM that I borrowed on the day of arrival or be charged for it. I have even talked to the Hotel Manager and this is the policy. You then have to go back and resign it out after 10AM. Do not link your B2B cruises before you sail. This will lock your TA out of your reservation as soon as that happens. They will have to call RCI to make changes. Oh yes RCI won't go out of their way to give you the same cabin both weeks. That is left up to you to check and then call. Hope this helps, Phil Since each booking is treated separately, because each has it's own booking number, there is certain protocol that must be adhered to at the end of each voyage and everyone must be on the same page......there are no exceptions to the rule. Linking a reservation has never locked our TA out. But it has prevented me from trying to book Choice Air.:( We book when itineraries are first released so that we can secure the same cabin for all sailings. If you are booking closer to departure date, the chances can be pretty slim to none that you will be able to get the same cabin for both cruises, especially if it's a popular itinerary and this is in no way RCI's fault. We have always had a very relaxed turnaround day on any of our b2b cruises. But then again, it all depends on the ship and Debarkation Officer on how smoothly it is handled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo&fran Posted March 28, 2014 #9 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I have done many B2B cruises and learned a lot on this on RCI. This a very sore point with me and RCI. I hate to say it but HAL and Princess make it seamless. The back end of their product is horrible for customer service but the front end is much better. If you buy a wine package the first cruise and want to carry it over to the second week you have to "pre-select" what is left of your wine and your name is put on it for the second cruise. (They say it has to do with inventory) I have not had a problem selecting a different bottle from the bottles I selected the prior week. I have had to return extension chords by 7:00 AM that I borrowed on the day of arrival or be charged for it. I have even talked to the Hotel Manager and this is the policy. You then have to go back and resign it out after 10AM. Do not link your B2B cruises before you sail. This will lock your TA out of your reservation as soon as that happens. They will have to call RCI to make changes. Oh yes RCI won't go out of their way to give you the same cabin both weeks. That is left up to you to check and then call. Hope this helps, Phil your post makes no sense, I would suggest everyone ignore it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyG12 Posted March 28, 2014 #10 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I have done many B2B cruises and learned a lot on this on RCI. This a very sore point with me and RCI. I hate to say it but HAL and Princess make it seamless. The back end of their product is horrible for customer service but the front end is much better. If you buy a wine package the first cruise and want to carry it over to the second week you have to "pre-select" what is left of your wine and your name is put on it for the second cruise. (They say it has to do with inventory) I have not had a problem selecting a different bottle from the bottles I selected the prior week. I have had to return extension chords by 7:00 AM that I borrowed on the day of arrival or be charged for it. I have even talked to the Hotel Manager and this is the policy. You then have to go back and resign it out after 10AM. Do not link your B2B cruises before you sail. This will lock your TA out of your reservation as soon as that happens. They will have to call RCI to make changes. Oh yes RCI won't go out of their way to give you the same cabin both weeks. That is left up to you to check and then call. Hope this helps, Phil We've found the exact opposite. Royal DID go out of their way to ensure the same cabin. My TA handled EVERYTHING. We've never had to turn anything over. Hmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Sid Posted March 28, 2014 Author #11 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Thanks to all that have replied. Have never done a back to back as you must have realized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LABCHICK Posted March 28, 2014 #12 Share Posted March 28, 2014 (edited) You will love doing B2B. The night before when everyone is putting out their luggage and look sad you have a happy feeling. You have another whole week to sail. Listen to Patti's info. She knows what she is saying and will not steer you wrong. She was a great help with her good info before we did our first B2B. Edited March 28, 2014 by LABCHICK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCruisers Posted March 28, 2014 #13 Share Posted March 28, 2014 You will love doing B2B. Listen to Patti's info. She knows what she is saying and will not steer you wrong. Agree! Patti gives good and accurate information! :) LuLu ~~~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpoole3 Posted March 28, 2014 #14 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I've only done one B2B on Monarch of The Seas. One the last night of the cruise my new seapass card was laying on my bed with a page of information. All the B2B cruisers met around 10:30am by guest relations and were walked off, went to customs and turned around and walked back on. No passport was necessary, as it was more a formality. Just be sure you have BOTH seapass card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuaAZ Posted March 28, 2014 #15 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Just remember B2Bs are addictive and now I find it very difficult to even think about a single cruise. I have however solved the B2B problem; I now book at least two B2B2Bs per year. I don't even notice my B2B addiction anymore. Duane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsie Eisle Posted March 28, 2014 #16 Share Posted March 28, 2014 We have done one B2B on the Jewel of the Seas. Late afternoon the night before the end of the 1st cruise, the Loyalty Ambassador had a "party" with small appetizers and free drinks. She explained the procedure to us in full and gave us our new cards. The next morning we gathered in the upper dinning room to wait for the last passenger to disembark. We had pastries and morning beverages. (All passengers must be dinged out and then we as a group...about 35 of us) We went out, dinged our old cards, went down through immigration, came back up the ramp and dinged in with the new cards. We did NOT give up our cards nor were we asked to do so. We did get nasty looks from those waiting to get on because they thought WE were holding them up from getting on. LOL When I read how people like to tarry and leave when they want to, it really burns me up. It jams the process of things a lot. :eek: Sad to say but when it is over, it is over...GET OFF! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uri1961 Posted March 28, 2014 #17 Share Posted March 28, 2014 wow!! so excited. Hubby and I are doing our first B2B next feb on the AOS out of San Juan. Can't wait!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iukbsn Posted March 29, 2014 #18 Share Posted March 29, 2014 wow!! so excited. Hubby and I are doing our first B2B next feb on the AOS out of San Juan. Can't wait!! We are doing our first b2b in Feb on AOS from San Juan as well! We will be doing Feb 15 and Feb 22. Can't wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folk Singer Posted March 29, 2014 #19 Share Posted March 29, 2014 We are doing our first b2b in Feb on AOS from San Juan as well! We will be doing Feb 15 and Feb 22. Can't wait! enjoy your cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crownandanchors3118 Posted March 29, 2014 #20 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I have done b2b every year and it has never been done the same. It can vary from ship to ship and port to port. Immigration has a lot to say about how they want it handled depending on the make up of the repeat cruisers and the port you are in. Every ship handles it differently depending on their personnel as well. However there is always a meeting of some sort where the information is given out and will explain the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MACruisers Posted March 29, 2014 #21 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Royal is testing a new B2B procedure that started with the 3/2 - 3/9 B2Bers on Allure. Cards will be issued for the duration of the cruise with start and end dates on them. You will receive one card, the folio closes out at the end of the first cruise and you still "bing" out to bring the ship to zero count, but use the same card to re-enter. The soft ware that is used to handle this change was very buggy and the B2B procedure was disastrous. Have done many B2Bs and this was the worst. The software issues took four days to work out during the second week for the repeaters, including getting locked out of you cabin for hours. New cards had to be issued and the lock reprogrammed for the back to backers. Hopefully they have since worked out the bugs, as this new procedure should make it even easier for consecutive cruisers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare NorbertsNiece Posted March 29, 2014 #22 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Oy that would have driven me crazy...... lost a morning on Adventure in SJ due to 'hiccoughs' in the arrangements but nothing as impactful as that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystaken Posted March 29, 2014 #23 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Does anyone know how it is handled on Grandeur? I will need to change cabins. Will I be able to get into the second cabin before the usual 1 or 1:30 fire door opening? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken at the beach Posted March 29, 2014 #24 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Royal is testing a new B2B procedure that started with the 3/2 - 3/9 B2Bers on Allure. Cards will be issued for the duration of the cruise with start and end dates on them. You will receive one card, the folio closes out at the end of the first cruise and you still "bing" out to bring the ship to zero count, but use the same card to re-enter. The soft ware that is used to handle this change was very buggy and the B2B procedure was disastrous. Have done many B2Bs and this was the worst. The software issues took four days to work out during the second week for the repeaters, including getting locked out of you cabin for hours. New cards had to be issued and the lock reprogrammed for the back to backers. Hopefully they have since worked out the bugs, as this new procedure should make it even easier for consecutive cruisers. Not sure that this extra effort is worth it. New cards for the next part of your B2B the night before really is not an inconvenience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsie Eisle Posted March 29, 2014 #25 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Does anyone know how it is handled on Grandeur? I will need to change cabins. Will I be able to get into the second cabin before the usual 1 or 1:30 fire door opening? your cabin attendant will help you move. You don't have to repack everything. Ask him during your first trip and they will ex[plain it to you. We always try to book a cabin that is open for both trips but sometimes it isn't possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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